The Sox’ Manny Ramirez, right, is greeted by teammate Jacoby Ellsbury after Ramirez’s two-run homer off Indians closer Joe Borowski broke a tie in the ninth inning.

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AP / Mark Duncan

CLEVELAND — It was, all things considered, quite a day for David Ortiz.

It began with a misunderstanding between the Red Sox’ DH and manager Terry Francona regarding text messages and ended with Ortiz playing a meaningful role in the Sox’ 6-4 comeback win over the Cleveland Indians.

Francona had given Ortiz Sunday night off, in part to give him some time away from his struggles at the plate. Ortiz had been only 3-for-40 (.070) for the season and struggled against the Yankees Friday and Saturday night.

The two conferred on the plane ride here late Sunday night and Francona instructed Ortiz to let him know yesterday morning whether he wanted to get back in the lineup.

When Ortiz sent the manager a text message in his own profane style, Francona initially mistook the message for one sent by his daughter. Believing he was communicating with his daughter, Francona sent a text message back, asking what number she was texting from.

Responded a puzzled Ortiz: “It’s mine, [with an expletive].”

Recalling the exchange, Francona, laughing, said: “Now, I’m getting (mad). … So I call and it’s David. I was all mixed up. Because the last one said, ‘Put me in, [expletive],’ and I can’t figure it out. I was actually kind of relieved. If David gets hits or not, at least I don’t have a 14-year-old talking like that to her Dad. Anyway, the good news is my daughter seems to be not speaking like that and David wants to play. So we’re OK.”

Once the game began, Ortiz was more than OK. He hit an opposite-field liner to left in the first, snapping an 0-for-17 skid.

Offering encouragement, his teammates were on the top step of the dugout, cheering Ortiz’s hit in the first.,

Then in the ninth, he dumped a blooper into left, giving him his first multi-hit game since April 2.

“He’s going to be fine,” assured teammate Manny Ramirez. “It’s only (13) games. If he doesn’t hit, I’ll hit for him.”

Remembering Robinson

Major League Baseball will salute Jackie Robinson today on the 61st anniversary of his debut.

Three members of the Red Sox — outfielder Coco Crisp, Ortiz and third-base coach DeMarlo Hale — have been given permission to wear Robinson’s No. 42 tonight.

Last night, the Indians saluted Jim “Mudcat” Grant,” the first African-American pitcher to win 20 games. Grant threw out the ceremonial first pitch and was joined on the mound by former major leaguers J.R. Richard and Al Downing.

Around the bases

Game-time temperature was 42 degrees, but the forecast called for the temperature to drop as low as 28. Sunday afternoon, when the Indians hosted the Oakland A’s, temps were in the low 30s. … Bartolo Colon is with the Sox, continuing his rehab under assistant trainer Mike Reinold. Colon, who is on the International League disabled list with a hip-pointer, has not yet been cleared to resume throwing. … Alex Cora, sidelined over the weekend with a sore right elbow, has “no limitations,” according to Francona. … Coco Crisp was 1-for-3 and extended his hitting streak to five games, during which he’s hitting .412 (7-for-17).

smcadam@projo.com